Automatic controller cut-out



G. M. SHEARER.

AUTOMATIC CONTROLLER CUT-OUT.' APPLICATION FILED APIIQS, Isls.

1,362,358, Patented De@.14,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Q@ la? G. M. SHEARER.

AUTOMATIC CONTROLLER CUT-OUT.

APPLlcAUoN FILED APR.5. 1919.

1,362,358, l Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. v

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GREER M. SI-IEARER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANK H. TAYLOR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC CONTROLLER CUT-OUT.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented De@ 14C, 1920 Original application filed February 17, 1917, Serial No. 149,320.

Divided and this application led April 5, 1919. Serial N0. 287,860.

To c/ZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, CREER M. SHnAnnR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and tate of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Controller Cut-Outs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description thereof, reference being` had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a novel controller cut-out adapted for any kind of a motor control, either direct current or alternating current of any phase and is applicable for use in connection with cranes, hoists, elevators, electrically operated bridges and otherwise.

The purpose of the invention is to provide means for making and breaking the circuit exterior to the controller fingers and contacts of the controller in such a way that the circuit is open both at the time when the fingers pass on to the first contacts and at the time the fingers leave the contacts so as to thereby avoid arcing at the fingers, and which is particularly liable to occur the fingers leave said contacts if the mai supply circuit is closed, and thereby avoid consequent destructive burning thereof without the necessity of using blow-out coils, insulating barriers, and other safety devices within the controller.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel mechanism for mechanically controlling a cut-out switch for opening the circuit exterior to the controller, which mechanism is mechanically operated from the controller actuating device, as the usual hand lever.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel switch controlling mechanism of this character which is so arranged with respect to the operative position of the controller fingers. that at any instant or at any point in the operation of the controller when the hand lever is moved to shut off power, either forward or reverse, the cutout switch is actuated to open the circuit and the controller can not again be advanced to pick up the load without return to the off point of the controller. This prevents picking up a heavy load at advanced points and overloading the motor.

Other objects of the invention are to improve and simplify controllers of this character, and the invention consists in the combination and arrangement of the parts shown in the drawings and described in the specification, and is pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings;

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of one type of controller, developed in a flat plane, showing my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the cut-out switch controlling unit.

Fig. 3 is a side or edge elevation thereof.

Figs. d, 5, and G are fragmentary plan views, separately shown, of the elements of the controlling unit.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the switch controlling unit.

The controller diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1 is a drum type controller and is adapted to a three phase motor cir uit, but it is to be understood lthat my improvements may be adapted to any other practical form of controller wherein the operating lever is adapted to be moved from the off point of the controller in the direction for control or in both directions from the off point for forward and reverse control.

The controller shown in Fig. 1 is developed for an eight point forward and an eight point reverse control and the contact rings 10 are so arranged with respect to controllers fingers (not shown) as to be electrically connected to the points 11 in a familiar manner. From the point. 11 the various circuit wires 12 and 13 lead to the resistance elements and to the motor.

14, 15, and 16 designate the line wires of a three phase feed circuit. rIlhe wires 14 and 15 are connected in the controller and the wire 16 leads te the motor. Connected in said lines 1li, 15 and 16 are contee-tors or magnetic switches 17, 18, and 19 and blowout coils 17. 18. and 19', the function of which latter is to blow out the arcs between the contacts of said contactors. Said contactors include closing coils 20, 21 and 22, the functions of which latter are to close and open the main line circuit at said contactors. To said contactors areconnected by wiring a switch designated as a whole by 28, and hereinafter to be described, and which operates the closing coils 20, 21, and 22 to open and close the circuit. Corresponding ends of said closing coils are connected in parallel by a wire 24C to the line wire 15 outside of the blow out coils and the other corresponding ends ot said closing coils are connected in parallel by a wire 25 with one terminal ot the switch The other terminal ot the switch is connected by a wire Q6 to the other wire 11 ot the operating` circuit which leads to the. controller, the connection being outside the associated blow-out coil. The contactors or magnetic switches may be of any preferred type, and inasmuch as their function is well understood by those skilled in the artj they need not be further described. The operating current of the switch 23 is sufficiently low to prevent arcing' at said switch by reason of the resistance of the closing coils 'inserted therein.

The switch 23 may be of any suitable or preferred type. As herein shown, it comprises a fixed block 28 of insulating material, one end of which carries one terminal plate 29 of the switch, to which the wire 25 is connected, and the other end of which carries a terminal plate 30 of the switch to which the wire 26 is connected. 31 designates a switch blade which is pivoted at 32 to the terminal plate 29 and is in contact therewith. The other end of the switch blade is swingable toward and from the terminal. plate 30 and when in the position indicated by dotted lines in Fic'. 1 is in electrical contact therewith to close the switch. T he said switch 28 is a single step switch in that it acts in one operation or step to cut in or cut out the circuit eXterior to the controller.

The said switch blade is provided with a tail piece 33 which is adapted to be connected with any suitable means that is mechanically operated by the controller lever. or by other means by which the controller is actuated, so as to swing the switch blade into its open and closed positions. is herein shown, the tail piece ot the switch blade is loosely connected to the lower end of a link 35, the upper end of which link is loosely connected to one end of a lever 36. The link may be adjusted as to length by means of the right and left hand thread nut shown, or otherwise, and said link or its connections with the switch blade or lever 36 may be provided with an insulating barrier to prevent short circuiting;` of current from the switch to metallic parts associated with the lever 36. The lever 3G is pivoted between its ends at 37 to a fixed bracket 38. The other end of said lever 36 is associated with mechanically controlled means, that are set in operation by the actuation of the controller drum, so constructed and arranged that when the controller is adjusted with its handle at the ofi' point, the operating circuit is open by reason of the opening of the switch 23. Then the controller operating handle or lever is operated to turn the controller, either in the 'forward or reverse direction the controller drum is first rotated to bring the first controller fingers of the series into contact with their respective controller rings at a` time when said rings are dead, and thereafter the mechanical controlling means for the cut-out switch is operated to close the switch and thereby close the main supply circuit exterior to the controller. rlie controller may now be advanced either in its forward or reverse throw to bring the successive fingers into contact with their respective contact rings. Said mechanical controlling,` means for the cut-out switch is such, however, that at the instant the controller is adjusted to reduce or shut oft the current7 the mechanical controlling means operates first to open the motor circuit before any ot the fingers of the controller have broken connection with their respective controller rings, so that said rings are dead when the contact between them and the fingers are broken. The switch controlling means are also so arranged that the controller cannot be Y n advanced to pick up load without returning the controller to its mid or ofl1 position and starting' all over again from the first point, thereby preventing` the motor picking up a heavy load at an advanced point.

The mechanically actuated cut-out switch control mechanism for effecting these results. in connection with the lever 36 is herein shown made as follows:

Suitably connected to the shaft 4t() of the controller drum are a series ot upper, lower7 and intermediate disks L11, 4t2, and 43. T he upper and lower disks are ot considerable thickness, with respect to the intermediate disk. iis herein shown, the said disks are mounted concentrically with respect to the shaft et() of the drum and are non-rotatively fixed to said shaft. they being` provided with registering` polygonal openings 14. 4:5, and 46. which fit the correspondingly shaped portion of the shaft 4,0. 1n some types ot controllers the said disks 41, 4t2, and 113 may be thus mounted on the shaft j ust beneath the top plate 48 of the controller c: sing;` and between the same and the drum. in other types of controller they may be mounted eX- terior to the controller casing and suitably connected to the drum operating` shaft. 1n either event the said. disks or controlling unit, of whatever type it be, moves in syn# chronism with the drum or at like angular distances with the drum in each adjustment of the latter.

The upper disk of the cut-out controlling device is provided in its periphery. and at both sides of a centrally disposed raised portion 50 with a series or ratchet shaped cam projections 51 or deiecting means, the Wider faces 52 of which are directed away from the central or mid portion 50 of the disk 41. The said wider faces 52 of the cam projections 51 are beveled downwardly and rearwardly as indicated in Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 7. The intermediate disk 42 is provided opposite to the oblique wider faces 52 of the cam projections 51 with notches 54, and the edges of said notches are obliquely inclined to correspond to the inclination of the faces 52 of the cam projections of the upper disk 41. The periphery of the lower disk 48 is plain and concentric to the axis of the disk throughout the principal portion thereof and is formed with a raised portion 56 which lies below the raised portion 50 of the upper disk 41. The intermediate disk 42 in its parts between the notches 54 extends radially beyond the periphery of the lower disk 48 and beyond the cam projectionsv 51 of the upper disk. The said upper disk is provided above the cam projections 51 with a. solid flange 57 which extends radially beyond said cam projections, and the lower disk is likewise provided at its lower side with a similar flange 58, so that there is formed between thel upper flange 57 and the intermediate disk 42 an annular track or guide, and between said intermediate disk and the lower fiange 58 a like annular track or guide. Said flanges 57, 58 may form integral parts of the upper and lower disks respectively or may be formed on plates which are attached in any suitable manner to said disks.

The lever 36 of the controlling mechanism is provided at its end adjacent to the group of disks with a pin 60 which is adapted te extend into the tracks of the controlling` unit thus formed, said pin as herein shown extending loosely through an opening in the lever 86 and is backed by a spring 61 which urges the pin toward the peripheries of the disks, but permits it to shift outwardly relatively to the arm 86 when passing the cam or the deiiecting proj ect-ions 51 when the controller member is moving from low to high speed.

The lower disk 43 is provided in the lower track at the sides of its central raised portion 56 with ratchet-like cam projections or detlecting means 59, the wider faces 68 of which are directed toward the central raised portion 56 and are beveled or oblique at angles corresponding to the inclination of the cam faces 52 of the upper disk. The said projections 59 are located just below the lower portions of the cam projections 51 of the disk 41 next adjacent to the central or raised portion 50 of said disk and below the corresponding notches 54 of the intermediate disk 42; and the cam faces 68 of said projections 59 bear such relation to said notches and to the oblique faces 52 ofthe cam projections 51 that when the disks are rotated in either direction from the central or off position the engagement of the cam faces (33 of said projections guides the pin 60 from the lower track of the controlling` unit formed by said disks to the upper track thereof. This has the effect to swing the forward end of the lever 3G upwardly and the rear end thereof downwardly, and said lever acts. through the link 85, on the switch blade 31 Ato close the blade against the terlcentral raised portion 50 of the disk 41.

The controlling unit may be advanced to bring the successive into contact with their respective rings until the highest speed is attained in the usual manner of such controllers.

By reason of the oblique faces 52 of the cam projections 51 in the upper track of said unit, the instant the controller drum is reversed to lower the speed of the motor said oblique cam faces serve to force the pin 6G from the upper track to the lower track of the controlling unit, and said pin acts, through the lever 86 and link 35 to open the switch 23, and thereby to open the main supply circuit. After the pin has been shifted from said upper track to the lower track, which thus causes theoperation of the controlling lever and the cut-out switch,

the lingers corresponding to the cam projection which have been operative to open the cut-out switch move off their respectivo contact rings, so that arcing at the fingers and rings is avoided. iVhen the switch 28 has thus been operated to open the controller circuit, the pin 60 of the switch controlling device cannot be again shifted upwardly into the upper track of the control- 'ling unit until the controller drum actuating handle is again swung to its central or off position and the controller is operated again from its lowest speed, so that it thereby becomes impossible for the controller to be operated to pick up a load at an advanced point in the controller.

Thile the controlling unit described is herein shown as made of a plurality of disks, it will be understood that the same may, within the purview of the invention, be made an integral part with the portions in the upper and lower tracks suitably4 shaped to constitute the central raised portions and the oblique cam portions described, and with the intermediate flange 412 provided with the notches 54 described.

lt will be furthermore understood that 4 the mechanical control mechanism described may be employed with other types of controllers and may have other movements of translation than a rotary movement. Furthermore, where it is not convenient to mount the cut-out switch controlling unit directly on the drum shaft, it may be connected to said drum shaft by any suitable mechanical means adapted to transmit the proper direction of movement to the controller unit to actuate the cut-out switch controlling` lever 3G or other equivalent member.

lVhile reference has been made in the specification and in certain of the claims with respect to controlling the switch 23, so that said cut-out switch is open both when the first fingers pass onto their contact rings and when the lingers .break contact with their rings in the reversal of the controller, it will be understood that the latter condition is the one which is of real im portance when operating` with currents of normal or the most usable values, inasmuch as the arcing takes place when the lingers leave their contact rings when operating with current of varying strength, while such arcing does not occur when the lingers move to the Contact rings with the supply circuit closed unless the current is very heavy.

It is also to be understood that the various details of construction shown may be otherwise varied within the spirit and scope of my invention and that the invention is not limited to such details, except as to the claims wherein the claims are specifically set forth, and as imposed by the prior art.

This application is a division of applicants prior application, Serial Number 149,320, filed on the 17th day of February. 1917.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an electric motor control, the combination with a feed circuit, a controller therefor embracing a controller member and its contact points, with means to actuate it, of a cut-out switch in circuit with the points of said controller member and said feed circuit, and automatic mechanical controlling means for said cut out switch constructed to rigidly maintain it closed throughout a full sweep of the controller member and to open said switch upon reversal of said member at any intermediate speed point before separation of the controller member contacts at said speed point.

2. In an electric motor control, the combination with a feed circuit, a controller therefor embracing a controller member and its contact points, with means to actuate it, of a cut-out switch in circuit with the points of said controller member and said feed circuit, and automatic mechanical controlling means for said cut out switch constructed to maintain it closed throughout a full sweep of the controller member and to open said switch upon reversal of said controller member at any intermediate speed point, said controllingmeans being constructed to permit said switch to be again closed only when the controller member is returned to oil' position and again advanced toward speed.

3. In an electric motor control, the conibination with a feed circuit, a controller therefor embracing a controller member and its contact points, with means to actuate it. of a cut-out switch in circuit with the points of said controller member and said feed circuit, a low ainperage switch for controlling said cut out switch, and means movable with the said controller member for controlling said low amperage switch, constructed to rigidly maintain said latter switch closed throughout a full sweep of the controller member and to open said switch upon reversal of said. controller .member at any intermediate speed point.

4. In an electric motor control, the combination with a feed circuit, a controller therefor embracing a controller member and its contact points, with means to actuate it, of a cut-out switch in circuit with the points of said controller member and said feed circuit, a low amperage switch for controlling said cut out switch, and means movable with the said controller member for mechanically controlling said low ampcrage switch, constructed to rigidly maintain said latter switch closed throughout a full sweep of the controller member and to open said switch, upon reversal of said controller member, at any intermediate speed point only prior to the opening of the feed circuit at said point.

5. In an electric motor control, the combination with a feed circuit, a controller therefor embracing a controller member and its contact points, with means to actuate it, of a cut out switch in circuit with the points of said controller member and said feed circuit, a low amperage switch for controlling` said cut out switch, and means movable with the said controller member for controlling said low amperage switch, embracing a guide travelable with said controller member, constructed to maintain said latter switch closed throughout a full sweep.

of a cut out switch in circuit with the points of said controller member and said feed circuit, a low amperage switch for controlling said cut out switch, and means movable with the said controller member for controlling said low amperage switch, embracing a guide travelable with said controller member, constructed to maintain said latter switch closed throughout a full sweep of the controller member, and deflecting means to open said switch, upon reversal of said controller member and guide at any intermediate speed point, the controlling means for said low amperage switch being constructed to permit the closing of said switch only when the controller member is returned to off position and again advanced toward speed.

7. ln a motor control, a movable controller member of the drum type having contact elements adapted by movement thereof to be progressively shifted, without opening the feed circuit controlled thereby, into contact with fixed contact elements from low to high speed, a cut out switch in circuit with the ccntact elements and with a feed circuit, low amperage controlling switch for said cut out switch, and means positively controlled by movement of said controller member to actuate said controlling switch, constructed with means to open the latter switch only when the initial controller elements are in cont-act.

8, In a motor control, a controller having movable and fixed contact elements adapted by movement of the movable element-s to be progressively shifted, Without opening of the feed circuit controlled thereby, into contact with each other from low to high speed, a cut out switch in circuit with the contact elements and with a feed circuit, and mechanical means controlled by movement of said controller element to actuate said switch, constructed to close the switch only after the initial controller elements are in contact, combined with means to open said switch only when the controller elements remain in contact with each other,

9. In a motor control, a movable controller member having contact elements adapted by movement thereof to be progressively shifted into contact with fixed contact elements, without opening the feed circuit controlled thereby, a feed circuit in which said Contact elements are connected, a cut-out switch in said circuit, a low amperage controlling switch for said out out switch connected to and operated by said controller member, and means operated by initial reverse movement of said controller member to open said controlling switch, constructed to prevent closing movement thereof until the controller member has been returned to off position.

10. In a motor control, a controller drum having a progressive series of contact elements adapted by rotative movement of the drum to be progressively shifted into contact with fixed contact elements, a feed circuit in which said contact elements are connected, a cut out switch in said circuit, a controlling unit having means to connect it to said drum to rotate synchronously therewith throughout the range of movement of the drum, a member having means to operatively connect it to said switch and interacting connections between said member and unit, constructed with means to effect the closing of said switch when the drum is advanced from the off position and to maintain it closed throughout the total advance sweep of the drum, and to cause said switch to open in the reverse movement of the drum before the engaging contact elements have parted.

l1. In a motor control` a controller drum having a progressive series of contact elements adapted by rotative movement of the drum to be progressively shifted into contact with fixed contact elements, a feed circuit in which said contact elements are connected, a cut out switch in said circuit, a controlling unit having means to connect it to said drum to rotate synchronously therewith throughout the range of movement of the drum, a member having means to operatively connect it to said switch and interacting connections between said member and unit, constructed with means to effect the closing of said switch when the drum is advanced from the o position and to cause said switch to open in the reverse movement of the drum before the engaging contact elements have parted, with means whereby said switch is maintained open until the drum is returned to off' position and again advanced therefrom.

l2. An electric motor control comprising, in combination, a feed circuit, a controller member movable both forwardly and rearwardly from a central or offI point and having forward and reverse contact elements adapted by movement of said member to be shifted into and out of contact with fixed contact elements, a feed circuit in which said contact. elements are connected, a cut out switch to control said feed circuit, manual means to actuate said controller member, and means connected to and controlled by manual means for controlling said switch and to maintain it closed throughout a continuous sweep of the controller member in either' direction.

13. An electric motor control comprising, in combination, a feed circuit, a controller member movable both forwardly and rearwardly from a central or off point and having forward and reverse contact elements adapted by movement of said members to be shifted into and out of Contact with fixed Contact elements, a feed circuit in which said contact elements are connected, manual means te actuate said controller member, a magnetic cut out switch to control said feed circuit, a low amperage switch to control said cnt eut switch, and operative connections between said manual means and said low amperage switch to control the latter.

le. An electric motor controller and its feed circuit, comprising, in combination, a controller member movable both forwardly and rearwardly from a central or off point, with means t0 advance the controller member from off position through its successive peints, both forward and reverse, and other means exterior to the controller to break the feed circuit, constructed with means to close said circuit only when the controller member is returned, either from forward or reverse, to and again advanced from its oil position.

l5. In an electric motor control, the combination with a feed circuit, a controller therefor embracing a controller member and its contact points, with means to actuate it, of a cut-out switch in circuit with the points of said controller member and said feed circuit, a low amperage switch for controlling said cut-out switch, and means movable with the said controller member for controlling said low amperage switch, constructed with means to close said low amperage switch after it has been opened only when the controller is returned to olf position and again advanced toward speed.

ln witness whereof I claim the foregoing as my invention, l hereunto append my signature this 22d dav of March, 1919.

GRER M. SHEARER. 

